


She Will Be Loved

by Lunarium



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Not Epilogue Compliant, Pining, Season/Series 08
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 14:39:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17285975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/pseuds/Lunarium
Summary: She will be loved. That was her promise to Acxa. As friend or something more, Acxa deserved happiness.





	She Will Be Loved

**Author's Note:**

> For H/C Bingo's prompt "learning to be loved". The title comes from the song by Maroon 5 of the same name.

Back at the shooting range again! Veronica had suspected she’d find her here. Remembering all the times Acxa warned her about always following her—despite Acxa claiming she was always aware of her surroundings, Veronica knew better: anyone could sneak up on Acxa when she was preoccupied—Veronica gave her space and resorted to watching her from a distance. 

Standing stock still and eyebrows furrowed, Acxa fired a series of shots, not once seeing her target. Just what was she thinking in that moment, Veronica wondered. 

In all the times her colleagues had attempted to converse with the half-Galra things had gone down south. They found her weird, uncomfortable to be around, too cold. Not that they harbored any ill feelings towards her for her race. They respected Keith, Kolivan, Krolia, the Blades…but Acxa was a different story. Even if they were curious about her time with Lotor, her stories just left them…stumped. Her experiences were unlike anything any of them could relate to, even if Rizavi had made an attempt. 

Veronica had told Acxa before that she wished to know the person she could be, the person who Lotor never got to know, and it had warmed her, but only for so long before she slipped back into her shell. Mealtimes found her dining alone, her eyes staring into some far distance. Veronica recognized that look; Curtis had it too for some time after his husband Adam died when the Galra fleet had attacked Earth. They had been married just a few days prior to that terrible moment. 

Seeing the same hurt in Acxa’s eyes sent an ache through Veronica. She was there for her friend Curtis, for all her friends who lost someone in the battle with the Galra. Why couldn’t she be there for Acxa? She had meant every word to Acxa on that day when she joined her on the shooting range. Where everyone had steered clear of Acxa after learning more about her, Veronica only found herself more drawn to her every day. 

She really wanted to be her friend. 

And maybe…

 _That_ , Veronica told herself, was a silly thought. Humans could get so ahead of themselves sometimes. But at nights she would lie in her bed and imagine Acxa sleeping next to her, and she would pretend she was running her fingers through soft blue hair as Acxa, her walls down, finally letting herself be vulnerable, rested her head on her chest. The horns neither alarmed not hurt Veronica; she found them beautiful. The tips would tickle against her fingertips as she’d brush past them. 

Just a silly thought. Humans could fall deeply in love so quickly. It might do her good to take a note and be a little less like Lance and more like the Galra. This was a delicate matter, and who was to say Acxa would ever feel the same? 

Sighing, Veronica turned away before the determination entered her mind: 

She will be loved. That was her promise to Acxa. As friend or something more, Acxa deserved happiness. 

She _will_ be loved. 

*

The Atlas landed on the planet Drazan for its Clear Day celebration (once every seven hundred and twenty-one days, they were reminded a few good hundred times.) Veronica watched as Acxa give a little, “Hmph,” before sauntering off. Seeing her chance, Veronica chased her down the hall. 

“Acxa!” 

Startled, Acxa spun around. 

“Sorry! Did I startle you?” 

A blush passed Acxa’s cheeks, a rosy color blending with her blue skin. How adorable, Veronica thought. 

“I already told you,” she said sharply. “I’m always aware of my surroundings.” 

“Right!” Veronica said brightly. “Just wanted to ask if you were getting ready for the carnival!” 

“Carnival?” Acxa repeated, the word sounding funny coming from her lips. “I…”

Veronica placed her hands on her hips. “You’re not actually thinking of training _right now_ , are ya?” 

Acxa glared at her. “Where else would I go?” 

“How about with me and my friends?” 

“The same ones you invited me to the cafeteria table?” 

“Well…yeah!” 

Acxa’s eyes turned into slits. She made to leave but Veronica hurried around her. 

“Acxa, just listen! Ina was only stating what she had observed. She does that. It made everyone uncomfortable! James and Ryan were totally at a loss for words, and Nadia couldn’t get her to shut up! But Ina didn’t mean to! Give her another chance. Give the others another chance! And I—I’m sorry we made you feel unwelcome. I said I wanted to be your friend, and I still do.” 

“Thanks,” Acxa said eventually. 

“If you want us to get to know the real you, you can’t do that without being around us more,” Veronica continued. “Listen, I know you’re hurting. We all are. Some of our crew have lost someone important to them. Some have lost many. We’re all carrying burdens. That isn’t to invalidate your experience. I don’t know what you’ve seen or what you’ve lived through, but I just want you to know you’re not alone. You can talk to anyone, _anyone_ you feel comfortable with. 

“I’m just saying…you don’t have to be alone. You’re safe here, Acxa.” 

Acxa listened to her with her arms folded and head tilted down. It was rather surprising how, for one so strong and mighty in battles, she appeared so small suddenly, a wound little thing covered in so many scars just trying to protect herself. Veronica’s heart broke at the thought of just what that posture was guarding, or how many horrors Acxa had seen to give way to the stoic-faced warrior that captured Veronica’s attention.

Veronica would have swept in and embraced Acxa, desperate to show her just how much she didn’t want to see her suffer any longer, but no—that was the human’s flighty heart speaking again. Instead she stood before her, gave her space. 

Acxa studied Veronica’s eyes, perhaps searching for any reason to doubt, as she mulled over her words. Eventually, her shoulder slumped and her arms fell to her sides. 

“Fine,” she said. “But no games and no rides or singing or whatever else they do in carnivals.” 

Veronica laughed and took her hand before leading her towards the ship’s exit. “Deal!”


End file.
